Animated display device



May 24, 1949.

` G. FQ MoHR n 2,471,002

ANIMATED DI SPLAY DEVICE Filed Feb. 15, 1946 Shee'tS-Sheet 2 Al llzgnnlll l Z5 X Patented May 24, 1949 AN IMAT-ED DISPLAY DEVICE.

George Mohr, Peoria, Ill. Applicationebruary 13, 1946, SerialfNo.',6117,255-14v (CliJ Liti-45) This invention relates to. animated L display` device foramusement purposesas Well. as for an attraction, in Windows where articles are displayed for sale.

Themainobiect of the invention Iis, to provide` a1. device vso l arrangedj as to excite curiosity by reason ofthe activities 1.of amoving figure laspresented tothe eye of Lian, Observerlwhere no 'apparent controllingmechanism is visible.

Still'anotnerjobject:is thatby a peculiarly arrangedjrdriving;mechanism,the magnet will be given Van erraticA pathoftral/el `so that .the `armature-mure'. Willi have substantially/lia like erratic4 moiementinls trayel I Otherohjects` and ad antages will appear in the following. speci'cation Vaided by .the y accompanyingdrawin'gs 'iorming'parthereo wherein:

FigureV l is. an elevation in longitudinal. sectionl ofjpart of' ay containing jease or housing .showing tliejmechanism of the..present`inventionalso in, elevation."

Figure is aiplan Vof the same. in horizontale section "taken `on yline 2-1-2; Figure l, and 'wherein certain parts; are `shownigin different pDsitions as y they would.appeardurinejaotion.,

Feureiis fapplan'.slfowingr` tracing 0f. the patriot moyement .of thej.polesgoi a `magnet. .formingpart'of ,thevmechanismillustrated;

Figure lista diagr.am...ofcertain partsvof the` mepcllanisml shown in ,Figure 2.,.slightly enlarged,

and whereinib'uta partial tracingV of gthepath of thegkdiagram ,of Figure.3..iis' included .for a clear understanding. of saiddieeravfr-'vr li'gures..and.5".d are...elevations,of the extremities Y, of,2 the two legs :of fan electromagnet Iof Fig-f ure, 1,' lwhereintwo.Windings-oi lwire are shown,-

one havingmore ampere turnsthan .the other.

FigurejG-is an elevationjof 1an extremity ot a. leg-ofthe magnetof'Fi'gure 1 and'part of an armature :adjacent the same.

In thefiguresl designateain general,` a portionYL of "a housngiwherein is lcontained the mechanism of theinvention, said housing .including `an upper cavitied portion I spaced from themain lower.' body-portion for' a purpose to; appearpresently. In*- position i-n the saidA lowen body-portion is, erected a'gear-casez wherein is an erected shaftj 3 whose `lower endjhas axed jthereto :a worm- Wheel 4*.- Irr meshy with thewormz-wheel isa .worm Sfi'xed' 'on ae shaft 6; whiehflatter n carries a gear. 'If meshing witnwhiclrisjapnion; 8' on a' shaft' 9, {an'dga V`pulley I [Von saidshaft .S'isdriven by, a pulley I I "ofa motor :I2:v Itis understood however, that l other -j Ways off providinga reduction` y eear'erraneementmaybe emnloyed i Aixed vto .thegean .casellfat its topy .in .thisgin-g stance, isla gear. I 3,'.theshaftextending.throughv and beyond it -andireeftdturn therein.. Thelprov jectingend .of .the saidfshaft S'Lhasaxed .thereto cneend oi an .arm,I4 atlthe.otherendeofwhich is ashait I5 '.free .toturn therein, Ioneend of the.v shaft I5'. having. securedQ-,thereon a. pinion IIIk meshing With thegean, .its A,other endghaving.. secured thereto anarml `Tlf'carryingltlie lower leg.. of van electro-magnet. IBieachgotwhoselegs'A I 9I 9 is provided with .windings of.,wiielZUithewindingsg of Vthe upper leg Z I 9',1.frT a. purpose.. to .bemadet known, having. more, l ampere turns-thangthat .onT the leg I9.

v Itl` is .now observed.thatA thesaid upper` leg l I 9' of the lmagnet ,lies within., the1 spacedapart. pomr` tionil ofthe housing l and-.lis free .to swing `therein in a horizontal plane. as. suggested in. Figurer 2 in brokenlines.

Mounted in a convenientfposition is.;asupport: ing,ybearing 2i,ffglllef` 1; to,receive acranK'ed.'l member 2.I the free,uprig h't extension of ,which enters a ybore .22linthe.yokep0rtion ofthe mag,- net,l in this instance,`. as `a .support for themlatter` andto permita free swingjthereofihorizontally.

and ina lateral.direction the. free extremity of.' the. leg. I9 of the magnetl'being.Heetoturn 1113011' and moved by., a vWristlpin IlofLsaid arm, I1.

However;v equivalent means may be yused for ob".- taining y.the named movement ofVw the yoke portion.

Mounted. in fixed position with -respect totheA housing I; I' beneathitheuppermagnetdeg.19,.

and above the lower magnet :leg I9,l is a merrrber.` 23'jin .the form .of aplate .ofnonmagnetic mate-Vv rial such as aluminum, glass, or` otherv suitable'.

material.A The y upper plate `23",'v especially, ,for :the

purpose of the invention, haslaf wholly. smooth, surface for its lower .side,.and.said plate may lie. quite v.close to the) adjacentumagnetlegf They lowerplate may beailmirror asrepresenting aj dancingY iloor, or Va. skating ice-sheet, for example,

asan attractive.setting,1 v

Any figure X,' suclrlasthatrepresentinga hue` man being, for example; is insertable intoJ thespace between the' plates 2*3'; being ,slightly less in overall height, Figure 1, than the space measuredji,

between saidplates.'

Said. figure .X"is,1inj1efiect; aniarmature Ain that aA magnetically attracted Kmember suggested in.,

broken lines Xin *Figureilg is used, see also. Figure 6^, this member 'weightingthe figure. AndsaidM lmember may be bifurcatedjto providefora slight'V lateral extension; forming the" legvZll of `Vsaid gf,

ure; for example; togprevideior aslightunbalance ofthe said figure, themainportionofthearma ture having a substantially upright position as shown.

In a study of Figure 2 it will be observed that the motor I2 will, through the gearing described, impart rotation to the shaft 3, in the present instance in a clockwise direction as agreeing with further description herein.

This motion being imparted, the long arm I 4 will carry the pinion I6 around the stationary gear wheel I3, in mesh therewith, while rotation of the shorter arm I1 will also occur as it turns with the shaft I5, the said arm I1 and said pinion rotating as a unit.

The purpose herein is to impart a gyrating movement to the extremities of the magnet legs, between which the gure X is placed, said extremities having an orbit about the center of the gear I3. That such a movement may result the arm I1 is employed on the arm I4, or any other expedient that will produce the effect desired. During rotation of the pinion IB around the gear I3 the arm I1 produces the required movement by alternately swinging with the attached leg I9' toward and away from the center of the said gear I3 as said arm turns with, and with respect to arm I4, this being made clear in a study of Figure 4 wherein the tracing of the path of travel is partially shown in broken lines, and describing what may be termed, perhaps epicycloids.

In said Figure 4 the position indicated at A may be taken as the starting point of the traced path, the heavy broken lines therefrom leading to the point indicated at B, thence moving onward from the latter,

It is to be remembered, in what now follows, that the extremities of the legs of the magnet are those portions that take the various positions A to H. The straight broken lines .in Figure 4 indicate the position the leg I9 of Figures 1 and 2 at point A and at this juncture, also, it is to be stated that the teeth of the pinion I6 and the gear I3 are in the order of twenty to thirty-two and thus the full pattern shown in both Figures 3, or that portion in Figure 4 is produced, it being noted that the points A to I-I in Figure 4 correspond with the same points in said Figure 3.

N ow, as a starting position for travel of the leg I9 of the magnet, we may assume the position A, for example. Said leg will move therefrom to B, and successively to the other positions indicated. Having the gear ratio in mind, the leg in its cycle around the central position at 3 has an imperceptible gain in distance travel in each sweep between the positions identified by the letters. After a full cycle the travel-path traced by the leg, that member in further gyrations in a second cycle begins to overlap its first tracings so that the meeting point of I1' with the circle A, B, C, etc., will then be in advance of any given letter position and thus lie between letter positions :first touched. For example, if the leg position is between B and C the circle will be met beyond, and nearest B. In a further or next swing the circle will be met between C and D, and nearest C. In each cycle the gain continues, and new tracings and new positions on the letter-circle is the result, until after a long period, incidentally, the movements of the point at I1' will finally merge into the paths first traced from A.

Neither the intermediate positions described, nor the new paths of travel have been indicated on the drawing since to do so would unduly confuse and complicate the same, one full, or rst cycle, only, having been shown.

The result of the foregoing described actions is reiiected in the movements of the armatureiigure as will appear later.

Naturally any change in gear ratio would set a new pattern of travel in that either a less number of positions A-I-I or a greater number of such positions would result.

This has all been described as leading to given desired results now to appear.

When placing the armature-figure X between the plates 23 in a more or lessupright position, With the electric current flowing through the coils 20, said figure is at once attracted by the legs I9, I9', but more strongly by the upper leg I9 due to more ampere turns in the coil thereon, with the result that the rounded top of the head of said figure is held against the plate 23 above it.

As the magnet begins its gyrations according to the described mechanism, including the cranked guiding member 2|, or an equivalent manner of mounting, the figure X which has been lifted free of the lower plate 23 moves along and against the surface of the upper place 23 and follows fairly closely the said gyrations. The top of the gures is, in fact, the extremity of the armature and which is spherically curved and fairly smooth for the purpose of reducing friction in respect to said upper plate 23 from which plate the figure is suspended due to magnetic attraction.

The gure in following around the long sweeping outer curves traced by the magnet has a slight momentum due to the weight of the armature portion. When, however, the path of magnet travel moves through shorter curves to any one of the positions A-I-I the figure hesitates and due to the slight unbalance thereof carried by the bifurcation mentioned above, and any slight friction, perhaps between the armature and said upper plate, is set into a whirl before starting along a further sweep on another longer curve. That is to say, the figure, due to such momentum, may leave a long curve of the orbit as suggested by the broken line a, Figure 4, when the magnet suddenly moves into a shorter curve at any one of the positions A to H and thus said ligure will reach the long curve next to be followed by the magnet as that member leaves any such position that the ligure may reach, magnetic iniiuence still controlling the figure in its transition. This, then, is one purpose of the structure. If the figure were to move through a more or less unbroken circular orbit there would be little chance of the whirling or spinning motion since the said figure would constantly remain in along sweeping endless curve, Whereas in the present instance the whirling movements take place at intervals throughout a generally circular travel, besides constantly advancing to new advanced positions in that path due to the gear ratio as previously explained.

While in part of the described circuit of travel the ligure will whirl at given positions, in a further travel, in gaining progressively, it whirls at points in advance of the said given positions, and thus the whirls occur at, in this instance, eight dilerent positions in one cycle of travel around the position 3. Therefore, monotony of figure action is not presented to an observer.

This is by reason of course of the employment of the two arms I 4 and I I, as stated, or an equivalent arrangement, together with the constant travel-gain of the pinion I6, as already noted.

In this connection it must be understood that due to the constant change in the position of the pole I9 in each cycle of travel the figure must whirl at an infinite number of points in its orbit.

The action as of a dancer, or perhaps a skater, is thus placed before the observer in a manner to attract and hold attention.

Naturally, the entire mechanism is screened from View by the housing including the legs of the magnet, so that the entire action only of the moving gure is observable.

The figure may not always, perhaps, actually move fully up to the position A-H in its travel but hesitate slightly distant from any one of those positions until the magnet extremities have moved toward and away from such position, though due to the attraction for the armature the ligure is still under control. Thus the gure would travel in a more or less circular path while still having its several whirling motions near the positions named.

While an arrangement is shown as described that serves the end attained it is understood that other structures may be employed that will lie within the meaning of the inventive act and the claims to follow.

As an instance, while the magnet of U-form has been shown and described, a magnet of rectilinear form or straight throughout, may perhaps, be used, such, for example, as using the leg I9 only, or without the leg I9', and thus perhaps, serve the purpose, when given such movements as described herein in respect to the latter. However, the control of the armature-ligure might not, perhaps, be quite as effective as that served by the said U-form where the opposed magnetic elds are employed.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the nature described including in its construction an electro U-shaped magnet mounted to swing, driving mechanism in operative engagement therewith including a rotatable member mounted for orbital movement about a common point in a horizontal plane, and itself rotatable, a part fixed with respect to said member and rotatable therewith, the said magnet being pivotally connected to said part distant from the axis of rotation of said member, the opposite poles of the magnet lying in a vertical plane, an l armature-figure interposed between said poles, a magnet coil winding on each pole of the magnet, the number of ampere turns of the windings on the upper pole being greater than the number of turns on the lower pole, thus tending to counteract the weight of the armature-igure by a predominating magnetic attraction in said upper pole, and means for maintaining said armature-figure in spaced relation to the upper of the two poles in opposition to the magnetic attraction of that pole for the armature-figure.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the armature-gure is spaced from the lower pole of said magnet.

3. A device of the nature described including in its construction a mounted fixed gear, an arm swingable about the axis thereof, means to rotate the arm, a pinion carried by the arm, the same being rotatable with the pinion, a mounted electro U-magnet erected with its poles one above the other in a substantially vertical plane and free to swing in -a horizontal plane, the lower pole thereof being operatively engaged with said arm distant from the axis of the same, an armaturegure beneath the upper of the two poles, and a fixed member interposed between said upper pole and said armature-figure and paralleling the plane of movement of the former and spaced therefrom, said figure being held at one end against the member during movements of the magnet, the other end of said figure being spaced from the lower magnet-pole, a magnet coil winding on each pole of the magnet, the number of ampere turns on the upper pole being greater than the number of turns on the lower pole thus tending to counteract the weight of the armaturegure by a predominating magnetic attraction in said upper pole.

4. A device of the nature described including in its construction a mounted electro U-magnet, a mounted xed gear, an arm swingable about the axis of said gear, a pinion carried by the arm, the same being rotatable with the pinion, a pole of the magnet being pivotally connected with respect to the pinion at a position distant from the axis of rotation thereof, an armature-figure adapted for erection between the poles of the magnet, the upper pole having more ampere turns thereon than on the lower pole, and means to maintain the armature-figure in spaced relation to said upper pole and adapted to guide the same during swinging movements of said magnet while being influenced by the latter.

5. A device of the nature described including in its construction a U-shaped magnet mounted to swing, its poles being horizontally extended and lying in a vertical plane, driving mechanism in operative engagement with said magnet adapted to swing the same in a horizontal plane, and adapted also to impart to its poles epicycloidal movements, an armature-figure interposed between the poles, a member interposed between the upper of the two poles and said figure adapted to receive the latter against it, said armature ligure depending toward the lower of the two poles, the relation of magnetic attraction of the poles in respect to said figure being such that the greatest attraction is at the said upper of the two poles.

GEORGE F. MOI-IR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,277,371 Boyle et al. Sept. 3, 1918 1,318,071 Goodman Oct. 7, 1919 2,192,476 Marvin Mar. 5, 1940 

